Retrace the Steps
by SilverLunarStar
Summary: One-Shot! Tarrant wanders around Underland, trying not to think about a certain blonde and fails utterly as the pathways remind him of her.


**Retrace the Steps**

_By: SilverLunarStar_

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**Disclaimer:** _Tim Burton is a genius. Do I look like a genius AND male to you? Nope, Eli is of average intelligence and a girl, thanks all the same. And you do NOT want to hear me singing even though I'm prone to randomly do so; what can I say? I love music, but that doesn't mean I own _Anberlin's Retrace_ either._

**Author's Note:** _Dedicated to my very special Nia-chan (aka only1misafordeath) on her birthday (which was the 22__nd__ of April)… Yes, I was late, but I didn't have my laptop at my disposal during the weekend… I hope you enjoy part 1 of your prezzie Nia and I hope everyone else does too! Part 2 should be out in a couple…_

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Tarrant Hightopp had met so many marvelous people and creatures alike in his life that sometimes they were all jumbled up in his head. Sometimes, they'd leave it altogether! However, there was one person who refused to even back into the dark recesses of his mind, much less go away completely. Alice Kingsley just wasn't the sort of person one could easily forget.

Ever since Alice went back to Overland, the Hatter went back to doing what he did best… Hatting! The milliner had worked day after day on hats for everyone in the palace, resting only when he'd overtaxed himself and to take tea of course. Finally, Mirana the White Queen had had enough. She ordered her overworked Hatter to take a day off. That day, not knowing what to do with himself, but not wanting to waste time (he and Time had finally made up), he unconsciously started wandering throughout Underland. Now, any time Mirana believed he was overworking himself, she'd order him to take the day off (if she simply asked, he wouldn't listen.

Today was another mandatory day off. Simply slipping into his usual route, he was at the field of talking flowers before he knew it, near the main entrance of Nivens' 'treasure hole,' as he called it. Nivens was the only creature in all of Underland that could control where a regular old rabbit hole would lead to it, going to or from Overland. He heard the gossiping plants twitter and even heard a few of the flirtier ones try to catch his attention. He'd become a bit of a celebrity since the Big Head's downfall, something he didn't understand. He'd always been thought a bit mad, even before Horunvendush Day, but afterwards, not many wanted to get near him. Now that his family had been avenged and the White Queen had her crown back, his madness diminished a little. It was still there, however, just lying below the surface.

After Alice had…left, he thought about leaving Marmoreal. He had no need for the posh of the castle, but he knew his friends were happy to be back, so he stayed, for them. Maybe it was best. It seemed like every little place he stepped into reminded him of her. He walked through the fields of flower, waving his hand around to shoo the bread-and-butterflies and the horse flies. Approaching the tiny clearing that once belonged to Absolem, he looked for tiny little footprints, but found none except those that belonged to the creatures of his home. Sighing, he made his way to the dsijfaiodf forest.

Arriving at the clearing where he, Mally, and Thackery would have their tea parties, he past the abandoned table and made his way to his house. He hadn't been here in a while, even during his previous rest days, but it felt right, to stop today. So he stepped inside and, while the air was a little stale, he made his way to his bedroom for a nap.

Tarrant awoke a couple of hours later, feeling much more refreshed and chipper after the dream he just had. Knowing it was just a dream didn't even seem to bring him down. As impossible as he thought his dream might be, one girl had taught him that impossible was just a word. Ready to face the rest of his small adventure, he made his way back into the woods, using another path than the one he'd chosen with Alice. It was time to lay his guilt at rest and even though it was easier said than done, he needed to move forward. While it was slowly, but surely working, especially after all these years, there was something in particular he couldn't move on from, someone in particular…

When she left the first time as a child, he didn't think much of it. She was a bright girl, to be sure, and had so much muchness in her, but that's all she was to him…a child, a little girl who did Underland a favor when she brought down the house of cards. Her return as a young woman had made Tarrant's head spin. At first, he saw her as nothing more than the same little girl who had grown up and lost her muchness. As she stood up to defend him, however…he saw some of her muchness return. She was just lost, but he'd know Alice anywhere and he knew there was no mistaking her.

Looking up, he saw the Red Queen's castle, soldiers milling about, trying to clean it up. He'd forgotten, in trying to avoid his burnt down village he'd have to pass by Salazen Grum. It no longer looked as grim as it once had, but he doubted any type of cleanup would allow it to lose its dark aura. Too much had happened in that place to be forgotten, but maybe someday…

Sometimes it felt as if he was searching for something, but he wasn't quite sure what. Everywhere he went, photographs of his time with the blonde girl haunted him. However, as time continued to pass, the images faded little by little. Not enough, but eventually… He didn't know whether to be happy or sad about this, his emotions warring within. She was in another world, she'd forgotten all about them. That's how it worked, unfortunately. Those of Overland just didn't have enough…brain juice, within themselves to hold onto their memories of Underland. No matter how much muchness she might have found again, there was no way…

Eyes blue, he reached the castle, making his way to his bedchamber, but instead of going to bed, he paced around. Finally, he went into his workshop next door. He tried working on new projects, but he couldn't even concentrate enough to cure a hat. Finally giving in, he exited the room into the hallway, making his way to one of the several balconies. It just happened to be a coincidence that he ended up on the balcony in which one could see the main entrance of Marmoreal. Tarrant sighed, remembering a time where he had occupied a balcony with hi- the Alice. He shook his head until his head spun. His vision blurred, he blinked several times, stopped, rubbed his eyes, and blinked repeatedly again. It couldn't he be… He had to be seeing things. His madness must have jumped him without his notice because surely what he was seeing couldn't be real!

At a distance, he saw the figure of a blonde young lady making her way to the White Queen's castle. The closer she came, the clearer he saw, and the wider his grin, wary at first, widened.

"Alice!" he shouted and beamed as she looked up. He held his breath, wondering if she would remember him…

_To be continued in… Made it Home_

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_Thoughts? Constructive criticism? Praises? ;)_

_~*Eli_


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